Of Machines and Men
by SJ777
Summary: Inspired by Pivot's POV series. What do the Transformers really think of humanity? And what might we think of them?
1. Of Machines and Men

_I don't own the Transformers, but Carl Chaser and the Transformer with this 'point of view' are mine. Also, I think, is the separate 'universe' or timeline I thought up this is based in. So there._

_This was inspired by Pivot's POV series- I saw all the views on the different Transformer factions, but hey, what about humans- us? So I did some shower brainstorming, and came up with this. My first try at writing down something like this, take it easy._

**Of Men and Machines**

Transformers- as a certain human might say, they seem simple enough.

Four distinct types: Autobots, the workers; Minicons, the engineers and scientists; and the Decepticons, the warriors. Each with their own functions and abilities, programming and designs. Seemingly a perfect system.

But it still screwed up.

And then there's the humans. After studying their history, current events and just taking a look at them, I could only say one thing.

Primus, what a mess.

With racial, sexual, age and economic tensions on the brink, ignorance, corruption and apathy rampant, and greed pretty much controlling the civilised factions, it seems they should have wiped themselves out as soon as they developed the power.

Yet they didn't.

Humans and Transformers, organics and machines, so different in behaviour and culture- as they are physically. It actually stands to reason.

And they both have one thing in common- they both still exist even though they could have destroyed themselves. There lies the clinching factor. How do they, how do we, survive?

It hasn't been long since human society became aware of the existence of the Transformers. As that same human said himself, 'all hell broke loose'.

Carl, himself a law enforcement officer, expected serious trouble. Quote, humans can believe in something invisible for centuries, but when something like it actually appears, they can't manage to accept it. However, it turned out better than anyone expected.

Perhaps it's that same odd factor that allows humanity to preserve itself- some fringe groups and the odd major religion stuttered for a bit, but otherwise humans not only accepted but actually _welcomed_ us.

After the addresses by the President and other world leaders reached Cybertron, hundreds of Transformers flocked to Earth as welcomed war refugees. And as fate would have it, they had their places- as individuals but also vehicles, aiding humans in travel. Odd and perhaps degrading, but then again it was what we were apparently _built for_. Literally- as robots with humanlike forms with alternate modes as vehicles, the coincidences and similarities between our races can be frightening- heck, we even _speak the same language!_

What are we? Humans have their God or Allah, and have our Primus. Are they one and the same? Human religion is lost on most Transformers (Carl says 'thankfully'), but our prayers and curses, passed down from our ancestors, have similar meanings. Many of us even use them with the same informality- you only need to look at look at Carl's casual adding of Transformer expletives to his own, multi-lingual, very extensive vocabulary of swear words for proof.

Sometimes it looks like one race created the other. If this was the aeons-older Transformers seem like the likely culprits, but with some factors it looks like the other way. Some, mostly optimists, say we were _made_ to exist together.

And there is even a huge, undeniable example of this: The 'Alternators'. Transformers somehow 'merging' with human vehicles, and their occupants, resulting in a human and Transformer partnered together for life. Scientific examinations have found little, though including evidence of a symbiotic relationship between the partners. The human develops traits similar to a Transformer- stronger physical from, strange superhuman Energon-related abilities- and vice versa.

Some Transformers, including many Decepticons, think little of humans. Nothing but weak, annoying organic primitives, they say. However, most change their minds after actually being with them for a while, or one encounter with Carl Chaser.

Weak? Perhaps when physically compared to Transformers, but they would be surprised. Annoying… well, that's a matter of individual personalities. There are plenty of Transformers that would drive me crazy quicker than the average human. And primitives- not quite.

Militarily, what they lack in energy weaponry they make up for in combustion explosives. Few of us have ever experienced an artificial force greater than that of a nuclear bomb- if it ever came to war between the races, that would be their trump card. While bullets have little effect on armoured Transformers, their shells and missiles are almost as powerful as an energy bolt. And their technology is not as far behind as the public widely believe- secret projects by many countries and factions involve technology supposedly years ahead of what you can buy in the average store. What they have borrowed from us is mostly Energon and starship technology. Though apparently of all of their technology was originally theirs- some advanced equipment was apparently picked up from some sort of incident in New Mexico not so long ago.

It's just as well we met them after their technological boom- who knows what might have happened if we had appeared a few centuries earlier. It's hard to imagine…

Basically, we have met, and we can't change that. Humans and Transformers… Carl says it'll be alright in the end. Yes, if some humans are anything like him, it just might be…

The Autobot finished his log entry seconds before the first load of kids filled the queue line. The ticket collector said "Wake up Velocerator, time to do your thing and then get rolling."

Velocerator lifted off the track and transformed, his four sections separating then coming together again as the tall Transformer every theme park on Earth wanted to have as an attraction. He waved to a crowd of his new fans and walked around a bit, then transformed again, back into his roller coaster train mode. As the customers packed into his seats, he thought. _Well, it's a job, it pays, it uses my unique abilities, it makes people happy and nobody gets shot at._ He added one more line to his entry.

This Earth place isn't so bad after all.

_A roller coaster Transformer- betcha you weren't expecting that! In case you're wondering what the hell I'm on about, this is set in my Alternators fanfic a bit ahead of where it's currently at. Yes, much of the story is already planned out, it's just a matter of writing it. As they say, easier said than done._

_Special thanks to Pivot for inspiring me with her intriguing, well-written and oft times amusing writings, Hasbro and co for creating the Transformers and making some good toys and fairly decent TV series (hire me on as a writer and I betcha you'll be bigger than the 80s) and most of all you for reading this! And even more for a review, hopefully a good one!_


	2. Of Men and Machines

_A while ago I thought of how Transformers viewed humans… maybe I should look at it the other way now…_

_Don't own Transformers etc, 'cept most of the characters mentioned in this. You know the drill._

**Of Machines and Men**

Those Transformers- amazing, is all I can say at first.

Intelligent, warlike, transforming extraterrestrial robots with an average height of around 8-10 metres- one can't help but be impressed. Normally you'd think this sort of thing would only be seen on kids TV shows. Yet they're here, on Earth, and it seems we have to deal with it.

Even after the rumours, the urban legends, the massively televised fight between Pursuit and Dead End, the following interviews and the arrival of the Autobot leader himself, some are still convinced it's all a hoax, some are going crazy, but the truth is most are acknowledging it and moving on- or cashing in.

True, things are tricky between us and the Transformers- they happen to be a divided race at war with each other even before we were. The Autobots seem to be friendly with us, but the Decepticons hardly acknowledge our existence. They have incredibly advanced weapons and of course highly formidable physical forms- with the ability to blend in with human society. Why do you think many people are so scared of them?

They may be robots, but from what I've seen, they have all the emotions, attitudes and variety of humans- Autobots, Decepticons or Minicons, over a phone you can hardly tell the difference. I've seen humans and Transformers coexisting perfectly- playing games, doing business, drinking in a bar or fighting crime, they can work together better than anyone. Just look at the Alternators for a prime example.

Those men and women, partnered by fate to a certain Transformer- by merging with their own regular vehicles- act as the main ambassadors between the Transformers and us humans, trying to prevent a war while ending one of their own. You have to commend them for their efforts in the face of such a seemingly impossible task. I've seen Megatron- he apparently is at the driving force of this war, and I don't see him giving up anytime soon.

With the problems plaguing our planet, some see them as saviours- environmentally-friendly energy generation technology! Easy transport! Peaceful intentions! Selflessly stopping a force of evil robots destroying all life on Earth as we know it! We do need some optimism. That's why I'm glad we've got Carl Chaser.

He was the first human to encounter a Transformer (crashing into one, no less). He was the first Alternator, the first to work, play, rest, and fight side by side his mechanical companion. And, in my humble opinion, there couldn't have been a better ambassador between the two races. Carl fixes things, no matter how damaged- from cars to people to societies. If it wasn't for him I would have been expelled from university; Sally Sweitzer never would have got in; many people would be dead and gangs and Decepticons would rule the city. He is selfless, honest and determined, and helps people even without realising it sometimes. Pursuit is a prime example- from a cowardly, worrying amateur soldier to a strong, fast, fearless and reliable warrior, just from a few tweaks and tunes and a few months together.

But the Transformers can only help us with peace once they sort out their own ongoing civil war. I don't know what will end the millennia-old conflict- Megatron's capture or destruction? A new foe to unite against? Nobody knows a way, but Carl always says there is one, and we just have to find it. And I believe him- what else can I do?

Matthew Jones finished and saved his thesis draft, and unplugged his Flash drive before heading off to the lab. Doctor Gordon and Zerofire had called before asking him to come and examine a new energy process that might solve half of America's energy problems, if they could keep the Decepticons away from it.

Matthew walked down the university steps and found a car waiting, which opened its door for him.

"Upshot?" said Matthew.

"Yes," said the white sedan "And we had better get moving, you were expected at the lab seven minutes ago!"

Matthew sighed and hopped into the car and buckled his seatbelt as the Autobot screeched off to the energy lab across the district. Sometimes he found it hard to believe this uptight Autobot was the partner to the Minicon Zerofire, a brilliant but slightly eccentric scientist who currently only spoke Cantonese in addition to his own language but Professor Gordon could translate. Matthew would add one more line to his draft after lunch.

They're just another regular bunch of soldiers, scientists, politicians and freaks- just like us. From my personal experience, I'm sure we can get along just fine. I've got to go to Cybertron one day.

_A human's view on Transformer relations, as opposed to a Transformer's… these are really closer to my own opinions, hence why I make up new minor characters for these kind of things._

_Questions? Comments? Hate the lot? Begging for more? Use the button just down and to the left…_


End file.
